How the Cat Escapes the Bag
by bupsithekitty
Summary: AU after 5x01, how everyone stumbles upon Caskett. Rating for language because I'm cautious.
1. Lanie

_A/N: Because who doesn't love a good "Caskett gets found out," right?_

* * *

Lanie had had enough.

One night of Kate Beckett's time was not too much to ask. Hell, the girl was suspended for two weeks. She had nothing better to do. So why, every time that Lanie called to get her to hang out, did Kate make up some lame-ass excuse and then say goodbye after five minutes?

Well, tonight was her night off, and she was determined. No more sulking. No more avoiding. Kate Beckett was having a girl's night with her whether she liked it or not.

It occurred to Lanie that Kate would probably not like her showing up unannounced, but she was too annoyed to care. Standing in front of Kate's door, her resolve wavered, but she pushed that aside and knocked firmly.

"Coming!" was heard from the depths of the apartment. The door swung open, revealing a surprised, robe-clad Kate. "Lanie?"

"Girl, Imma smack you. I call you, asking to hang out, and you blow me off to sit around in your apartment doing nothing? What happened to 'drinks with Maddie?'" Lanie fumes, storming into the apartment. She could not believe this.

"Lanie—"

"No, Kate! I get it, you're hurt about your mom's case, and getting suspended, but going out will do you some good."

"Lanie—"

"Hey, Kate, where'd you go?"

Lanie whirls to stare open-mouthed at her friend. She knows that voice. She can tell Kate knows she knows too, if the way her friend grimaces is any indication.

"Ka—Oh. Uh, hey Lanie."

Lanie turns back to the hallway to take in Richard Castle, standing sheepishly in just a towel. Damn, that man is _fine_.

"Hey Castle. Fancy seeing you here." She grins, turning again to see Kate, bright red, eyes closed, looking like she wants to melt into the floor.

"Um… I'll just… Uh… wait… in the…" stutters Castle, his own shade of pink, before striding quickly back down the hall. Kate glares at the space he has vacated and then turns resignedly back to her friend.

"Hmm… run into Castle while having those drinks did you?" Lanie teases, thoroughly enjoying her friend's embarrassment. When her friend doesn't respond, she smirks and goes to leave.

"Lanie?" Kate speaks up tentatively as she's shutting the door, "Can you not tell anyone about this?"

She smiles. "Sure, honey. Seems like a good secret. By the way, I'm happy for you."

Kate beams, and Lanie takes a moment to really see just how happy her friend must be.

"Thanks."


	2. Martha and Alexis

"Darling, I am so sorry."

"No, Grams, really it's fine. I know it's not your fault they lost the reservation."

"But this was supposed to be a nice weekend for us before you went off to college!"

"We can do it some other time, promise."

Martha sighed. She had had a nice spa weekend all lined up for her and Alexis and then Serenity had lost their reservation. Well! That was the last time she trusted them!

The redheads lugged their bags from elevator to the door, chatting about what to do for the weekend instead. As they entered the loft, conversation halted.

The lights were low, and scattered everywhere across every table, stair, shelf, and even the counter were flickering candles. Laid out was a lovely meal for two.

"What in the—" started Martha, only to be interrupted by her son flying out of the study.

"Mother! Alexis! Um, what are you doing here?" He said, wide eyes flicking from Martha to Alexis.

"Well, Richard, we got all the way to Serenity only to find that they had overbooked. We then came home, only to find… this."

"Dad… what is going on?"

Richard stuttered, struggling to explain, a tentative knock was heard behind them. Both women turned to look at him, who looked a little like he might throw up.

"Well… Um… Uh…"

Alexis, still by the door, swung it open. On the other side was a shyly beaming Kate, wearing a knee-length purple evening gown. Her face quickly went neutral (and red). Martha was caught between stunned and thrilled. At least her son seemed to have got his head on straight about what to do with the girl.

"Um… Hello Martha, Alexis… What happened to your spa weekend?" asked Kate, recovering first.

"There was a mix-up with the reservation. Oh, Dear, please come in. How rude of us." Martha's mind was working at a mile a minute to try and figure out a way to remedy the very awkward situation.

"How terrible. Castle said you were looking forward to it."

At the sound of his name, Richard seemed to unfreeze. He came across the room to stand next to Kate. It was clear that they had planned to do something with the free weekend. Martha's mind finally clicked.

"Richard dear, how about Alexis and I go to the Four Seasons for the spa weekend instead?" So everyone gets what they want.

"That sounds like a wonderful idea, Mother." Richard grabbed a credit card from his wallet and ushered Martha and Alexis from the loft. As they walked back down the hallway, they heard a clear "Well that was horrendously awkward" from behind the loft door, and smiled.

* * *

_A/N: Hehehe. That was fun/difficult to write. PS if anyone has any ideas, please speak up. I'm a terrible brainstormer._


	3. Ryan and Esposito

Something had changed. When Beckett had come back from her suspension, there was something different. Esposito and Ryan were determined to find out what. And at this point, they could think of only one person who might know.

Esposito watched as Beckett stood from her desk, heading down the hall. Perfect. With her in the bathroom, He and Ryan had a golden opportunity to get some answers. By unspoken agreement, they rose and walked over to Beckett's desk.

"Yo, Castle, can we talk for a sec?"

Richard Castle turned his attention from his iPhone to the men in front of him. "Uh… sure."

Espo took him by the upper arm, ignoring the writer's protest, and hauled him to an empty interrogation room, flanked by his partner. When they got inside, he sat Castle down and leaned on the table in front of him. He heard Ryan take the seat behind him.

"Guys? Not that I don't love a good heart-to-heart, but… what is going on?" Castle asked nervously, voice higher than normal.

"Something's up with Beckett," Espo started, not looking to mess around.

"Is there? I really hadn't noticed," The writer gulped.

"Come on Castle. We're her friends too. We want to know what's going on," Said Ryan.

"We know you know. You guys talk about everything."

"Guys, really, you should just ask—"

"Please, she'd bite our heads off. Come on bro, give it up."

Just as Castle opened his mouth, the door swung open, revealing a none-to-pleased Beckett. Espo gulped. Not good.

"Hey, Beckett, we were just—"

"Save it Ryan. You two, out." Espo and Ryan jumped up, walking out of the door, which was shut and locked behind them. Beckett's scowl disappeared behind the blinds.

"Observation, now," Espo gruffed, hustling his partner in. They looked through the glass to find Beckett leaning with both hands on the table, in her partners face.

"—you told them, I will hurt you." Beckett's sharp voice said through the speakers.

"I swear Kate, I didn't. I wouldn't do that to you." Castle said.

"Son of a bitch does know." Espo growled.

"If they weren't interrogating you about us, then what?" Beckett asked, standing and crossing her arms. Wait, What?

"US?" Espo and Ryan shouted, indignant. Both heads in interrogation spun to the glass. Beckett looked from the mirror to Castle and back. Then she pointed through the glass.

"If either of you breathe a word to anyone, I will kill you." She seethed, then grabbed her… whatever he was now, and stalked out of the room.

* * *

_A/N: This is fun! Thanks to ladybugsmomma for planting the idea in my head. Anyone else got ideas?_


	4. Gates

_Not sure if I like this or not but... Here you go anyways!_

* * *

Captain Victoria Gates had not been in IAB for nothing. It had been a career born from an uncanny ability to read people. As a police captain, this was less important, but it always came in handy when dealing with the detectives and officers of the 12th. And of course, a certain troublesome author.

She had realized coming in that there was something different about his relationship with her best detective, and until meeting them, had been almost sure of the fact that they were at least sleeping together. It wasn't until she more closely observed their dynamic that she realized that this was not the case.

When Beckett returned from her resignation/suspension, Gates suspected that something had changed. It didn't appear so, but the energy between the two had changed.

* * *

Her mother-in-law was driving her crazy. She had absolutely no idea what the woman was so unhappy about, but it seemed like every time they saw each other, the woman had to show her obvious disdain for her son's wife.

That is why, when she was supposed to be making polite conversation, Victoria Gates was paying attention to anything and everything in the restaurant that wasn't the old hag. She was pulled from her extreme interest in the desert cart passing by when she heard a familiar laugh ring from the front of the restaurant.

Through the throng of diners, Kate Beckett could be seen shaking with suppressed laughter at whatever the tall man beside her was whispering in her ear. Gates watched as she pushed none other than Richard Castle away and tried to glare at him, failing on account of her eyes tearing up.

They were interrupted by the waiter, and Gates watched as Castle led Kate through the dining room with a hand on the skin on the small of her back left exposed by her gown. This should be an interesting distraction from what was happening at her own table.

As she finished her main course and dessert, she watched the pair across the room get more and more comfortable, holding hands and exchanging glances. It was clear that the relationship she had suspected was real. Despite her original qualms about the duo, she was happy to see that they had finally figured whatever it was between them out.

As she drove home that night, she couldn't help but wonder how long it would take for them to realize she knew.

* * *

_A/N: Sorry this took so long! I wanted Gates to be last and so I was thinking about doing some other people, but didn't really have any ideas as to how. Also, school is about to start and so I've been busy procrastinating my summer homework, and going to cross country (running, for those of you who don't know) practice every day, after which I am usually pretty tired. _

_Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to read this story, it means a lot!_


	5. Meredith

_A/N: This breaks from the POV theme because I wanted to write from Kate's not Meredith's. (Imagine that)_

* * *

Kate sat sprawled on the couch under one of Castle's impossibly soft blankets, trying her hardest to keep her eyes open to read the book in front of her. As she read the same sentence for the fifth time, still not absorbing its meaning, she sighed and set the book on the coffee table giving in to her tired brain. She had been running for days on nothing but coffee.

The moment she finally drifted off, a knock sounded through the loft. Kate growled. Alexis was over at Paige's and Castle was taking care of something at the Old Haunt, so no one was expected. Unless of course, Castle had forgotten his keys (again).

"Really, Cast…" Kate trailed off as the door swung open, revealing not her writer, but his ex-wife. Crap. Kate did not have the energy for this.

"Detective Beckett!" exclaimed Meredith, looking entirely to perky for 10:30.

"Hello, Meredith." Kate stood awkwardly in the doorway, taking in the several large suitcases in the hallway. She really, really did not have the energy for this.

"Umm… May I speak to Richard?" asked Meredith after a minute.

Kate rubbed her hand down her face. "No."

"Excuse me?"

"He's not here right now." Kate said tiredly. "Speaking of which, why are you?"

"I'm here to surprise my daughter for her birthday. Why are _you_ here?" replied Meredith icily.

"You do realize Alexis birthday was last week?" Kate asked, not in the mood to be interrogated in her boyfriends loft. Or well, just outside of it.

"I had a movie I was filming. Again Kate, it's not like you're his girlfriend." Meredith shot back.

"Wrong."

"Excuse me?" said Meredith, looking confused. God, why her?

It was then that the elevator decided to open on an oblivious Richard Castle. Kate immediately looked to him for help, and he stopped up short.

"Meredith, uh, what are you doing here?" He asked, looking a little scared at the scene in front of him. Kate didn't blame him.

"I was just asking Kate the same thing." She replied, looking decidedly unhappy.

"Kate is—"

"His girlfriend, who has every right to be here, unlike some other people." She was past caring that her filter was off. She would have said more, but her jaw cracked on a yawn.

Meredith shot her a glare. Before she could strike back, Castle cut in. "Well Meredith, Alexis is not here right now, so how about you go catch a cab—"

"Can't I stay here?" Meredith whined.

"—to a hotel, no, you cannot, and we will see you tomorrow." Unfortunately, Kate added in her head. He moved to put his arm around her before she fell over, and she gratefully sagged into his side.

"Fine." Meredith replied through the thin line of her mouth.

"I'll call Eduardo to help you." And with that, Castle steered Kate back into the loft and shut the door. "That was terrible. Are you okay?"

Kate sighed. "Ya Castle, just take me to bed."

* * *

_A/N: Holy Batman two updates in a day. You guys are lucky I was so guilty about not posting. PS thanks to everyone sending suggestions, I hadn't even thought about Meredith until a guest suggested it (Thanks Guest!)._


End file.
